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Parenting

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Original poster

How competent is your DH at the school run?

49 replies

isaidno · 14/05/2008 10:59

I am 33 weeks pregnant. DS1 is nearly 5, so in reception at school. DS2 is 3 and goes to pre school 2 mornings a week.

This morning I told DH he could practise getting DS1 ready for school (no pre school today.) He agreed but I could tell he didn't want to / thinks I'm worrying over nothing.

Well, he did get DS1 to school on time, but had to wake me up to ask what went in the lunch box (I told him last night.)

DS1 has excema so last night I also reminded him what cream went where in what order. I showed him how to bandage the bad bits on his hands. DH could not do this with any confidence, so I had to cut my shower short to supervise.

They had to rush out the door - DH wasn't dressed himself at 8:25am (more questions - does DS need his sweatshirt / hat / etc?) DS2 was still in his pj's when obviously he would normally have to be dressed too and come on the school run with me, even on a non pre school day.

DH went to back to bed at 9:45 am.

So, after all that, my question is - is this average / good / bad? I am planning a home birth but I am expecting DH to take over mornings while he has 2 weeks paternity leave. When I have been up half the night with a newborn I do not want to be disturbed with questions I feel he should be able to deal with himself. And what if I have to go to hospital anyway?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Tortington · 14/05/2008 11:01

is not hard - he just need to learn

cheesesarnie · 14/05/2008 11:02

my dh is mostly already at work before school run but hes ok when he does it.
if your that worried make a check list.

cheesesarnie · 14/05/2008 11:02

btw im crap at school run-i forget stuff!

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themildmanneredjanitor · 14/05/2008 11:02

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Original poster

isaidno · 14/05/2008 11:02

check list sounds like a good idea.

OP posts:

blinkingthreetimes · 14/05/2008 11:04

My dp does packed lunches and school run every morning I get them dressed washed etc .

He is really good at it .
What does wind me up is other peoples comments "oh isn't he good"

Why because he took his own dc to school if I did it noone would pass comment

themildmanneredjanitor · 14/05/2008 11:06

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happystory · 14/05/2008 11:07

Eaxactly. It's not hard, is it? Agree a list might be useful, re: sports kit, notes, dinner money, but a grown man should only need telling once

lackaDAISYcal · 14/05/2008 11:09

My Dh works away a few days a week, but is always here Monday mornings and does the school run. He's actually better at it then me, as he gets everything ready the night before, where I'm always rushing around looking for PE kit etc at the last minute and realising the lunchbox is full of spilt yogurt at 8:15.

He also irons all the uniforms for the week. Puts me to shame really

WideWebWitch · 14/05/2008 11:10

My dh is extremely competent as he does it every day. Your dh, leave him to it, what's the worst that can happen?

Crocky · 14/05/2008 11:11

I leave the house three mornings a week before the rest of the family is awake. They are his children as much as mine and wouldn't ever have expected that he would be less than capable.

cheesesarnie · 14/05/2008 11:12

the only thing i worry about being forgotton is suncream.but dd would remind dh!shes the one who puts dh and i too shame!

UnquietDad · 14/05/2008 11:14

WE have a list - for both of us. We split the school run and it's useful - we can't always be expected to remember which day is dinner money, which day is swimming etc.

Maybe this is news, but isn't always at the forefront of the mind of a normal human being who has to go off to other activities involving remembering even more complicated arrangements.

What pees me off is comments like I heard once in Y1, when a dad in front of me hadn't brought the PE kit, and an AlphaMum tutted, rolled her eyes and said "dads, eh?" Right, because mums are fecking perfect and never forget anything.

PestoMonster · 14/05/2008 11:15

Mine has never done it!

Bink · 14/05/2008 11:16

Checklist, yes, essential - but I would be prepared for a fair amount of ad hoc questions ... after all, it takes me the first month of a new school year to get completely on top of the routine/schedule/kit/etc.

See if he can do as many runs as possible as practice before you really need him to know what he's doing.

(My dh only does the actual school run occasionally, but gets the children ready for school two mornings out of five (and has done for the last 3 years) and I still get "where would ds's socks be?" questions.)

Fennel · 14/05/2008 11:16

DP is v good, he does half the runs. He does forget more than me but that's his nature, and he always signs them up for school dinners whereas I give them the choice of packed lunch or school dinner. but he gets them to school, no problem.

This morning I did a head count in the playground. 10 fathers, 5 mothers, one childminder and one granny. The school run dads aren't a minority here.

cheesesarnie · 14/05/2008 11:16

UnquietDad i forget everything and would be most angry if i heard that.

RosaLuxembourg · 14/05/2008 11:19

My DH also does the lunches every morning except when he is away. He doesn't always remember everything, but then neither do I. I think a checklist is a good idea and also getting as much as possible together the night before. He'll be alright after a couple of days practise and as UQD says, cut him some slack if he doesn't get it 100% - I have been known to forget the odd item - I forgot DD's swimming kit one day last term and DH had to cycle madly after a crocodile of children heading for the pool to hand it over!

Original poster

isaidno · 14/05/2008 11:21

unquietdad - I agree - I'm not perfect, but I don't think I am being unreasonable to expect a grown man with a responsible job to be able to get a couple of DC ready in the morning.

I'm with happystory - he shouldn't need constant telling. I think a list will be a good idea; might do some this afternoon!!

OP posts:

seeker · 14/05/2008 11:25

Ohhhh - unquietdad stressy as dd would say!

What gets me is when people talking about their other halves "babysitting" for them! I think that's actually called "looking after his children"

I do the morning stuff usually because dp is SOO not a morning person that it's cruel to ask him. But I am soo not a night person and he always does everything that needs doing after 10.00, including washing up and ironing. But he can do the morning thing if he has to. He once said he could do anything the children needed doing except breast feed and nit comb.

UnquietDad · 14/05/2008 11:31

I am quite proud of the fact that, while we may have forgotten things, neither of us has ever been late - not once.

Probably tempting fate now!

seeker · 14/05/2008 11:35

My dd had two sandwiches and my ds had none yesterday. I wish there was a [guilty mother]emoticon!

UnquietDad · 14/05/2008 11:40

Didn't someone on here once admit to sending child in with the remains of yesterday's lunch still in the lunchbox?

cheesesarnie · 14/05/2008 11:43

ive not dont it but very nearly.i am lazy .

tarantula · 14/05/2008 11:43

Dp does the school run but tis only nursery so no pe/lunchs etc yet. Am sure he'll maange fine once eh get a routine going. I've only done it fully once when dp was ill and forgot her book bag

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